KEY POINTS
- NDC leader John Mahama clarifies that calls for a forensic audit are about transparency, not hatred for EC commissioners.
- Mahama urges Ghanaians to join a protest pushing for an independent audit of the voter register.
- Imani Africa founder Franklin Cudjoe supports the audit, citing low public trust in the EC.
National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer John Dramani Mahama has clarified that the party’s request for a forensic audit of the voter register ahead of the 2024 general election is not driven by animosity toward the Electoral Commission (EC). Instead, the NDC seeks to ensure the credibility of the voter register and safeguard the will of the electorate.
“Our issues with the Electoral Commission are not about dislike for the commissioners or the EC itself. We simply want peace during and after the election, with confidence in the electoral process,” Mahama explained during a campaign tour in Accra.
Call for audit, not opposition to the EC
Mahama emphasized that the only way to hold the EC accountable is by putting pressure on the institution to fulfill its duties. He encouraged Ghanaians to join the NDC’s planned protest on September 17, aimed at pushing the EC to conduct an independent forensic audit of the voter register.
“The audit is not a reflection of distrust toward any individual but rather a necessary step to ensure the transparency of the electoral process,” Mahama stated.
Political analyst and founder of think tank Imani Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, also voiced support for the audit in a recent radio interview. According to Graphic Online, Cudjoe argued that the EC has “nothing to lose” from conducting the audit, stressing that recent Afrobarometer reports indicated the EC is among the least trusted public institutions in Ghana.
EC defends voter register, dismisses claims
Meanwhile, Dr. Bossman Asare, the EC’s Commissioner in charge of Corporate Services, responded to the demands for an audit, stating that such requests “send a signal of massive bloat.” He argued that there is no substantial evidence to support claims of irregularities.
While the EC maintains that it is operating within legal guidelines, the NDC and other stakeholders continue to call for greater transparency to restore confidence in the system before the 2024 general elections.
Mahama remains adamant that these actions are crucial to ensuring that the EC operates in a manner that protects voter rights and enhances trust in the results.
